GCP Architect is a certification that demonstrates to employers your knowledge of the Google Cloud Platform. In this guide, we will discuss what you need to know and how to prepare for it so you can be certified in no time!
What is a GCP architect?
A Google Cloud Architect is responsible for architecting the infrastructure of a company or application that will run on GCP.
How do I become a GCP architect?
There are different levels to becoming an architect: Junior, Mid-level, and Senior.
To become a senior-level cloud architect you need experience with multiple products across all layers (Developer, Data & App).
Depending on your skillset would determine what certification path you’d take.
Here’s one example:
Start by passing the G Suite Administrator exam – It will demonstrate your understanding of Identity Access Management and Security best practices.
You can also pick up other certifications like Deployment Engineer and Solutions Architects once those exams open again.
The next step after this could be to pass either GCP Certified Developer – Associate, GCP Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, or both.
Besides the above, understand the following;
- Understand the concepts of the hybrid cloud.
- Know how to move data to google cloud.
- Learn Google Cloud IAM inside out.
- Choose the right storage and database offerings.
- Get a grip on the enterprise case studies.
What does a Google architect do?
The role of the GCP architect is to build and manage large-scale, complex systems.
They are responsible for developing an overall system design that will integrate multiple services or products into a single solution architecture.
You should be able to analyze use cases in order to determine what components are necessary for making this happen.
This includes connecting different APIs with third-party tools as well as configuring monitoring solutions.
What do I need?
The Google Cloud Architect certification requires you have one year of experience using at least three major GCP features (or six years if no prior experience).
It also needs you to pass the GCP Solutions Architecture exam which covers security best practices, high availability, data management, etc…
Finally, there is the Professional Data Engineer Certification which focuses on data ingestion, data analytics, and machine learning.
All of this together will demonstrate to employers that you have the required knowledge & skills necessary for being a successful GCP architect.
Who is it for?
This certification is targeted towards experienced engineers with at least three years of experience using Google Cloud Platform services, proficiency in at least one computer programming language (Python or Java) as well as an understanding of security best practices.
How long does it take?
You should plan on passing all five exams within about six months – This includes taking time to study between each exam so you can pass them all on your first try!
Don’t forget there is also some prerequisites depending on what path you choose.
What if I don’t want to become a certified Google Cloud Architect?
What other options are there?
Even if you do not wish to pursue the certification path, becoming familiar with GCP is still a valuable experience for any IT professional.
The different products and services offered by GCP can be used in conjunction with your other cloud provider(s) such as Amazon Web Services (AWS).
By knowing how these two platforms work together it makes it easier when creating new solutions that will use multiple clouds.
This knowledge would benefit anyone working on DevOps teams who need to deploy applications into production across multiple environments.
Alternatively, another great way of learning about GCP taking one of their many training courses or by looking at their documentation and sample code on GitHub.
Where to take the Google Cloud Platform Architect course
You can learn more on Google’s website.
About GCP Artitect certification exam
- Length: 2 hours
- Registration fee: $200 (plus tax where applicable)
- Languages: English, Japanese
- Exam format: Multiple choice and multiple select, taken remotely or in person at a test center. Locate a test center near you.
Exam delivery method:
- Take the online-proctored exam from a remote location
- Take the onsite-proctored exam at a testing center
Prerequisites: None
Recommended experience: 3+ years of industry experience including 1+ years designing and managing solutions using Google Cloud